Method of and apparatus for liquefying and recovering explosives from a container



H. S. DECK ET AL May 15, i934.

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METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR LIQUEFYING AND RECOVERING EXPLOSIVES FROM ACONTAINER Filed Oct. 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Shea?. 2

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[u JMW/Moda Hnwardileck E l FaECELalEVUEnsn-m Patented May l5, 1934METHOD F AND APPARATUS FOR LIQUE- FYING AND RECOVERING EXPLOSIVES FROM ACONTAINER Howard S. Deck and Pasquale V. Di Cosmo, Dover, N. J.

Application October 20, 1932, Serial N0. 638,832

1 Claim.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described hereinmay be manufactured and used by or for the Goverment for governmentalpurposes, without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for liqueiying andrecovering explosives from a container.

In the salvaging of loaded projectiles the prevailing method ofrecovering the solidified explosive charge consists in directing aheating medium into a container which is supported in an invertedposition so that the fused explosive will readily be discharged. inorder to secure a more rapid fusion the container and heating elementare advanced with respect to each other.

The improvements contemplated by the present invention pertain to anovel manner of automatically advancing the heating element to maintainits proximity to the explosive charge.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides inthe novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details ofconstruction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood thatchanges in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed maybe made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from thespirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, where- Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of aportion of a recovery apparatus including the improvements of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan view with the shell support removed; and

Fig. Ll is a longitudinal section of an injection unit.

Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference:

In carrying out the invention there is provided a jacketed tank 5 Withinclined floors 6 and with means generally designated by the intake line7 and outlet line 8 for circulating a heating medium between the innerand outer walls.

The side Walls oi the tank at its deepest end carry a number of frames9, two being shown in the present instance, each frame mounting a groupof injecting Luiits 10 disposed in line at opposite sides of the tank.

Referring to Fig. 4, each unit comprises a cylinder 1l in which ismounted an apertured piston 12 provided with a hollow piston rod 13terminating in and having a nozzle 14. The units are connected with asystem of pipe lines for introducing a heating medium under pressure andthis system comprises a main supply line 15, branch lines 16 and aservice line 17 leading to the lower portion of the cylinder 11 andconnected to each branch line by a three-way valve 18 which alsoreceives an auxiliary line 19 for admitting a cooling medium.

A frame or rack 20 mounted lengthwise of f the tank between the two rowsof heating units l0 is equipped with sets of brackets 21 which are inalignment with the injector units so that a shell placed in the bracketin inverted position may axially receive the piston rod 13.

As illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the length of a shelldetermines the stroke of the piston and the arrangement of the shellsupport. Where the shell is of insuiicient weight to resist the pressureof the fusing medium a lever 22 may be provided to engage the base ofthe shell and securely hold it in position.

When the fusing medium under pressure is admitted into the cylinder 1lof an injector unii the piston 12 is elevated and the medium passesthrough the nozzle. When a shell charged with a solid explosive ismounted in a set of brackets, the explosive will oppose the elevation ofthe piston as long as it remains in a solid state. The noz- Zle is,therefore, continuously in direct contact or proximity to the explosiveand will be automatically advanced at a rate determined by the rate offusion of the explosive which, with the spent liquid, falls by gravityinto the tank. The fused explosive is recovered from the tank in anyconvenient manner.

When all of the explosive is recovered from a shell, cold water isadmitted into the system through the line 19 for the purpose of rinsingthe shell and cooling it sufficiently to facilitate handling.

The present apparatus and method greatly reduces the time required toremove the explosive from a shell. As an example, when Water at lbs.,pressure and 220 F. temperature is emtank, a. cylinder mounted therein,a piston having a hollow rod disposed in the cylinder, a service lineadmitted into the lower portion of the cylinder, a three-Way valve onthe service line, a pressure uid system connected to the valve, a.cooling fluid system connected to the valve and means for positioning anexplosive container in alignment With the hollow rod. Y

HOWARD S. DECK. PASQUALE V. DI COSMO.

